


You didn't have to scare me like that

by eloquent_apollo



Series: Short stories [2]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: A misunderstanding causes anxiety time!, Andrew fixes it tho, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:40:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24304546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eloquent_apollo/pseuds/eloquent_apollo
Summary: It’s Neil’s birthday and the foxes decide to throw him a surprise party, only problem is that when Neil can’t find them he thinks they’ve left him.
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Series: Short stories [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1835371
Comments: 10
Kudos: 178





	You didn't have to scare me like that

**Author's Note:**

> This is for Mrs-Renee-Reynolds on tumblr! It's a little late, but I didn't want to let you down so here it (finally) is! Thanks for sending me an ask

It’s early in the morning when Neil’s alarm wakes him up. He rolls over to look for Andrew in their bed, but his side of the bed is empty. There would have been a time that this would have caused Neil to panic, but Andrew is often up before he is. Now, he just rolls back on his back and closes his eyes for a few more seconds, allowing himself a moment to just wake up. 

He has lived with Andrew for two years now, but waking up in their apartment, in the bed that they share together still makes his heart flutter in his chest. Years ago he would never imagine he would be on a pro team with Andrew and Kevin, the three of them already fighting tooth and nail to make it to the Olympic team. Now, this is his future, and Andrew is a steady presence in it that Neil never wants to lose. When he finally opens his eyes again, he sees Andrew standing in the door with two pieces of cake.

“Happy birthday, Josten,” Andrew says. To the untrained eye Andrew looks bored, but Neil can see the faint smile and look of endearment in his eyes. Neil knows Andrew is happy, so he beckons him over to the bed for a kiss. Andrew’s lips are soft, and Neil can taste the faintest bit of sugar.

“Mh, you’ve eaten a slice without me?” Neil whispers.

“No, I tasted the batter. Made it myself,” Andrew says, before pushing the plate into Neil’s hands.

Neil gives Andrew a quick kiss on the lips, before blowing out the candle on his piece of cake. He leans against Andrew, and together they eat their slice of cake in silence. Neil can’t really wrap his head around the fact that he has already turned 26. He never thought he would even make it this far, but he knows this is the best future he could’ve ever dreamed of. When he finishes his slice, he takes Andrew’s empty plate out of his hands and carefully puts them away, before gently pushing him down onto the bed. They don’t have to go anywhere, so Neil thinks he can waste some time to make out with Andrew. Judging by the content hum Andrew lets out when Neil kisses him, he had the same idea.

-

Unsurprisingly, it had been Nicky’s idea to throw Neil a surprise party. Andrew had agreed to join in, only because he didn’t want Nicky to bother him until he would cave. They would hold the party at the old house in Colombia, that Nicky still owned despite no one living there anymore. Aaron had asked Andrew a few days ago if he was planning on moving in there in the future, but Andrew had his apartment with Neil and he didn’t think he would ever need a whole house with 3 bedrooms, especially if he and Neil shared one, so he agreed that Aaron could move in there with Katelyn when they finished med school. He knew Aaron and Katelyn wanted children, not now but somewhere in the near future, and it would help to have a house that has already been mostly paid off by Nicky and Erik. He didn’t tell Aaron that the thought of some stranger moving into the house that he considers to be his childhood home had caused a flare of anger, but it had definitely been there. 

Andrew and Neil didn’t exactly live near Colombia anymore, but they would take a plane there. The hardest part was keeping Neil out of the house for long enough to give the others time to decorate the place. Andrew had decided he would take Neil to a nice restaurant for lunch, but some of the others had agreed to come as well. Andrew wasn’t entirely sure how they could do that, but he had made a reservation for 5 anyway. He and Neil had just gotten off the plane, and Andrew had gotten them a rental car. Neil seemed content when he sat in the passenger seat, while Andrew drove off to the restaurant. He couldn’t fight the urge to place his hand on Neil’s leg. Neil put his hand over Andrew’s, and gave it a soft squeeze that made Andrew’s heart beat just a little faster than it should. It didn’t matter that they had been together for 6 years now, Neil still managed to make his heart beat like that of a teenager with a first crush. He hated Neil a little for having such an effect on him, and although he knew Neil would never use those feelings against him, there were days it still scared him. Today wasn’t one of those days though. Today was a good day and it simply made Andrew smile ever so slightly. 

“120%,” Andrew said. 

Neil only squeezed his hand again, and Andrew mentally added another 10%.

When Andrew parks at the restaurant he gets a call, so he tells Neil to go on ahead and get their table, while he stays behind to answer his call. Neil gives him a quick kiss on the cheek, before heading inside and Andrew almost adds another 10% but decides against it.

“Andrew Minyard, what do you want?” he says when he answers.

“Andrew! We can’t make it,” Dan answers.

“What the fuck do you mean you can’t make it? To the party or to the restaurant?” 

“The restaurant! We just made it to the airport, but there was a problem with the rental cars. Can you pick us up?” 

Andrew lets out a sigh and drags a hand over his face, but then agrees to pick them up. He hangs up and pockets his phone, and heads to the door to find Neil. He is makes it only through the first set of doors, when he is stopped by a man.

“I’m sorry sir, but we’re all full,” he says.

“I made a reservation. It’s under Minyard,” Andrew says annoyed.

“The man who made that reservation already showed up. Are you one of the people that was supposed to come with him?” 

“No, I am Andrew Minyard. The guy who went inside was my husband, Neil,” 

The man looks through the pages to find Andrew’s name, but then shakes his head.

“I can’t find you here, sir,” he says.

Andrew decides that arguing now is not going to work, so he leaves and texts Neil that he is going to pick Dan, Matt and Renee up from the airport. He just hopes Neil reads it in time and doesn’t think Andrew ditched him

-

Neil has been waiting for Andrew and the others for 40 minutes, and he still hasn’t shown up. He keeps checking his phone, but there are no messages from Andrew to say where he has gone. He doesn’t understand what happened, but after another 10 minutes he decides he’s had enough. Andrew wouldn’t just leave him without a single word, so he leaves some money to make up for the fact that he didn’t order, and then leaves. When he goes outside, Andrew’s car is nowhere to be found, and a familiar sense of fear makes it’s place in Neil’s stomach. Andrew wouldn’t just leave him like this, Andrew wouldn’t just go and say nothing. Neil takes his phone out of his pocket and tries to call Andrew. It immediately goes to voice mail, and the next thing Neil knows he is running. Dimly he realises he’s dropped his phone in the parking lot, but his legs are already taking him further away from the restaurant, taking random turns until Neil doesn’t remember the way back to the restaurant anymore. He vaguely knows where he is going, but his brain is having trouble catching up to the rest of his body. So he runs and runs until his legs ache, his lungs feel like they’re going to collapse, and his mind is blank.

-

When Andrew makes it back to the restaurant, the first thing he sees is Neil’s phone on the floor. His mind make up a thousand scenarios, but all of them come down to the same conclusion.

Neil ran away.

Andrew takes the phone from the floor, ignoring Matt’s questions, and looks through it. Neil doesn’t have any signal, and Andrew doubts he ever had one. He realises he heard something on the news about his provider having nation wide troubles with their reception, and he curses for not realising it any sooner.

“What happened?” Dan asked

“Neil ran. I think I know where he went, though. You guys go to the house, I’ll take a cab and pick him up.” 

Andrew tosses the keys to Dan, who looks at him to see if he will change his mind, but when he doesn’t, she gets into the car and drives off with the others. Andrew calmly reaches for his pack of cigarettes, lights one, and walks off into the direction he assumes Neil has ran. He can actually see track marks in the gravel, so he follows them until they lead him to a road that he follows all the way down until he comes into town. He calls for a cab, and waits while smoking. In the back of his mind a voice tells him that Neil ran away forever, that Andrew won’t ever find him and he’s fucked up and lost him, but he pushes those feelings deep down and forces himself to think of the cats, the cake, even his stupid exy team crosses his mind, anything to keep his mind off of Neil leaving him. When the cab arrives, he throws his cigarette away and tells the man to take him to PSU.

-

Neil eventually finds someone who is willing to drive him to PSU, and that’s how he ends up in front of the foxhole court. The bright orange is both overwhelming and grounding. It’s summer, so no one is actually there, but just sitting in the parking lot is enough to calm him. Neil doesn’t want to think the foxes gave up on him, but he had waited for so long and no one came. The thought of his family abandoning him is so painful, it causes a grief so fierce that Neil can barely breathe. He has to force himself to take deep breaths, to keep himself grounded and to think of an escape plan. He is so wrapped up in his own thoughts, he doesn’t even realise Andrew is there until he squats down in front of him.

“Neil,” Andrew says.

Neil’s head snaps up, his panicked gaze meeting Andrew’s unwavering calm expression, and his anxiety damn near vanishes. Andrew reaches out for him, and Neil lets him cup his face in his hand. Andrew tells him to breathe, tells him to mirror his own breathing, and Neil listens. 

“I texted you, idiot,” Andrew says, but his voice is gentle and Neil knows he had him both worried. “You didn’t have to scare me like that.” 

Neil leans forward, pressing his forehead against Andrew’s, and Andrew wraps his arms around Neil. Neil finally manages a weak smile, before shortly pressing a kiss to Andrew’s lips.

“I thought you left me,” he whispers.

“I will admit you are very annoying, but leaving you has never crossed my mind before. Even if you’re at 200% right now.” 

Neil chuckles and kisses Andrew properly this time. Andrew runs a hand through Neil’s hair, and Neil hums contently. Andrew breaks the kiss too soon for Neil’s liking, but he watches him stand up and hold a hand out for him. Neil takes it and he lets Andrew pull him up from the ground.

“Come on, let’s go back to Columbia. It was supposed to be a surprise party, but the others are waiting for you. Don’t tell them I told you.” 

Neil nods quietly and lets Andrew take him to the cab he took to get him to PSU. Neil feels kind of silly for thinking Andrew would ever leave him, Andrew had taken a cab straight to PSU because he knew that would be where Neil went to ground and calm himself. Andrew gently squeezes his hand before getting into the cab with him. Neil leans against Andrew’s shoulder, and Andrew lets him for the entire ride.

When they arrive at the house, it’s dark inside, there is no indication anyone is there, but Andrew pulls Neil along without a word. Neil lets him, holding onto his hand with a smile, while Andrew unlocks the door. He looks at Neil, quietly asking if he needs a minute before stepping inside. Neil shakes his head, and opens the door that leads into the living room.

“SURPRISE!!” The foxes shout in unison, and Neil can’t do anything but smile brightly. His whole family is here, even Coach Wymack, Abby, and Erik made it. He is pulled into a tight hug by Nicky, while Erik pats him on the shoulder and wishes him a happy birthday. Neil can’t stop himself from smiling as he thinks he is home with his family again.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys liked this! Come say hi on my tumblr [ over here](https://eloquent-apollo.tumblr.com)? if you want!


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